Therapeutic apparatus



Feb. 26, 1963 A. A. BRISSON 3,078,843

THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS Filed Jan. 16. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR AltozzAuBr-zlszs' ATTORNEY BY yam- W Feb. 26; 1963 Filed Jan. 16. 1961 4Sheets-Sheet 2 a0 86 7f 77 8.7 35 32 if 63 a? 37 87 a! I 5 20 .26 29 r vr: .27

I J L 30 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Feb. 26, 1963 Filed Jan. 16, 1961 A. A.BRISSON THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 mv'gNTon A Zton Brzksan,

f Zzz memzla ATTORNEY Feb. 26, 1963 v A. A. BRISSON 3,078,843

THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS Filed Jan, 16, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORAlton A Brzlsas'an ORNEY United States Patent Ofiiice 3,078,843 PatentedFeb. 26, 1963 3,078,843 Tl-ERAPEUTIQ APPARATUS Alton A. Erisson, 905Worriclr Mill Road, Lumherton, NE.

Filed .lan. 16, 1961, der. No. 83,122.

7 Claims. ((31. 128-52) This invention relates to the therapeutictreatment of the body including the stroking or massaging of the samefor improving its tone and health and to equipment by which suchtreatment can be administered with minimum skill, attention and effortand with the derivation of maximum benefit.

The invention relates particulany to apparatus which can be used upon aperson in prone or substantially prone position and facing downwardly orupwardly and the person massaged or given body treatment in oppositedirections along surfaces of the body.

Devices of various kinds have been produced for treating the bodyincluding vibrators, massagers, and the like, however, these have beenof limited application and use, and have required special attention bythe user or personal care by the attendant and otherwise have beenunsatisfactory.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide portable or mobileapparatus, including a base with rollers at one end and a handle at theother which can be raised to lift such end and the device rolled fromplace to place, providing a cabinet on such base within which iscombined an electric motor or other source of power, a horizontallymounted member with means to cause reciprication of the same, an armcarried by said member extending from the cabinet in a position to bereciprocated by said motor along one or more surfaces of the body of anindividual and with a massager including means for tilting the same to alimited degree at the beginning of each stroke in each direction, andwith a container for lubricant carried with the massager for supplyingsuch lubricant to the skin of the person treated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a generally horizontalmounting for a massager carrying arm to cause the movement of said armalternatively in one direction and then reverse movement in the oppositedirection, with a slight tilting of the arm prior to the beginning ofeach stroke and with a massager including a container for lubricantcarried on the end of the arm. and constructed to supply lubricant tothe body contacted by the massager.

Another object of the invention is to provide a massa ing unit of aminimum number of parts which can be readily transported and used formassaging and applying a skin lubricating substance to diiierent partsof the body without the aid of an attendant.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustrating the application of the invention;

FIG. 2, a vertical section on the line 2-2 of MG. 1;

FIG. 3, a longitudinal section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4, an end elevation;

FIG. 5, an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5 ofFIG. 3;

FIG. 6, a detail section on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7, a vertical section on the line 7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIGS. 8 and 9, fragmentary operational details of the reversingmechanism of FIG. 3;

FIG. 10, an enlarged fragmentary detail of the roller and track of FIG.8;

FIG. 11, a vertical section on the line 11-11 of FIG.

FIG. 12, a perspective of a modified form of adjusting means;

Fl 13, an enlarged sectional view on the line 13-13 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14, an enlarged detail perspective of the massager;

FIG. 15, a longitudinal section on the line 15-15 of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16, a transverse section on the line 16-16 of FIG. 14;

HG. 17, an enlarged vertical section on the line 17-17 of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18, another form of a massager unit for use on the arms and legs;

FIG. 19, a transverse section on the line 19-19 of FIG. 18; and

FIGS. 20, 21, 22, detail views illustrating the use of the massager ofFIGS. 18-19.

Briefly, stated, the invention is a device for massaging or givingtherapeutic treatment to portions of the human body and comprises acabinet, massaging mechanism supported in an exterior position from theinterior of the cabinet and with means for moving the massager in amanner to give it a reciprocating or stroking action and for changingthe angularity of the massager at the beginning of its stroke in eachdirection.

With continued reference to the drawings, the present invention is adevice by which portions of the body may be given therapeutic treatment,such device comprising floor engaging members in the form of a pair ofspaced horizontally disposed spaced inverted U-shaped channel members 11, one at each end of the device. Gn the remote side of one of thechannel members from the other are attached spaced rollers 11 in orderthat when the opposite end of the unit or other channel member iselevated the rollers may be used for the transporting of the device.

Centrally located on the inverted channel members 10 are mounted a pairof upright channel members 12, which form a support for a housing 13,having atop 14, attached by a piano hinge 15 to the front wall 16 of thehousing, a rear wall 17 being connected by a piano hinge 18 to an angleiron 1% along the bottom of the housing. The housing has a movable end2i? supported by a piano hinge 21 attached to the front wall 16 of thehousing. By having the top 14, rear wall 17 and end wall 20 pivotallymounted so that they can be swung open, or back, access may be had tothe interior of the housing. The back is secured in closed positionbyangle members 22 extending over the edges of the free end of the top andupper edge of the back 17. The end member 29 likewise is secured inclosed position by angular mem bers 23 attached to the end of the backpanel 17.

A pair of handles 24 are mounted on the opposite end of a cross rod 24'extending through a pair of parallel bars 25, and bars being connectedby pivots 26 to one of the channel members 12, and the closed end of thehousing 13 has slots 27 for accommodating the bars 25 when the handles24 are moved upwardly to elevate the end of the device for transportingit from place to place.

Within the housing 13 (FIGS. 2 and 3) by means of an L-shaped bracket 28is mounted an electric motor 29 having a pulley 30 which by means of abelt 31 drives a larger pulley 32 on one of the reduced ends 33 of ashaft 33. The reduced opposite ends 33 of the shaft (FIG. 5) are mountedin bearings 34 in housings 35 fastened by bolts 36 to the uprightchannel members 12.

The shaft 33' is provided with means whereby motion may be transmittedto a fitting 40 thereon such means being in the form of double spiralthreads or grooves 37 on the shaft 33' in which there is contained a key38 within a vertical chamber or bore 39 of the fitting 40 having ahorizontal bore 41. The key 38 is urged into the one of the grooves 37,in the shaft 33', by means of a coiled spring 42 bearing against a coverplate 43 at its outer end and held in place by screws 44.

As the shaft 33' is rotated the key 38 located in one of the doublespiral grooves 37 will cause the fitting 40 to travel along the shaft inone direction until it reaches the remote end of the groove 37 whereuponthe key 38 will rotate approximately 90 and follow the other or oppositeset of the spiral grooves 37. In order to maintain the fitting 40 in anupright position and to keep it from rotating, it is provided with asecond bore 45 in spaced relation below and parallel to the first bore41.

Within the bore 41 there is received a guide rod or shaft 46 which isfixed between the channel members 12, at the opposite ends of thehousing, by means of bolts 47. The guide rod 46 and parallel shaft 33'(FIGS. 3 and 7) maintain the fitting 40 in a definite position at alltimes as it travels back and forth along the shaft 33'.

The fitting 40 is provided along its upper portion with a transversesleeve 48 in the bore of which is oscillatably mounted a shaft 49 whichextends outwardly (FIG. 1) through a slot 50 in the front of casing 13,such shaft having a collar 51 at right angles thereto on its outer endwith a setscrew 52 for the adjustable reception therein of a rod 53,having a sleeve or collar 54 at its upper end, with a set screw 55 forthe reception and fastening in said collar of a pair of telescopicmembers including a hollow rod or tube 56 having an end 57 with a setscrew 58 for the adjustable telescopic reception of a rod' 59. Amassager 60 is attached by screws or other fasteners 61) to the outerend of the rod 59, such massager including a tank or container 61 for alubricant on the body, and having diverging flanges 62 terminating inrearwardly curved portions 63 (FIGS. 14 and 16) spanned by an applicator64 of sponge rubber or the like. The ends of the applicator 64 areclamped over the reversely curved portions 63 of the massager by meansof generally U-shaped elongated spring type clamps 65.

The tank 61 is provided with a filling opening and closure 61' on itstop and along its bottom with an inverted channel portion 66 having aseries of openings 67 spaced lengthwise along the bottom of the same.Communication between the interior of the tank and the channel isprovided by means of openings 68 (FIG. 17) in a valve sleeve 69. Adischarge is provided from the lower end of the sleeve 69 by means of avalve 70 having a guide 71 through an opening 72 in a removable valveseat 73 threaded into the lower end of the tube 69. The upper end of thevalve 70 is provided with a knurled operating head 74 so that by theadjustment of the valve relative to its seat a small amount of lotion orlubricant may gravitate from the tank 61 into the channel 66. Lubricantin the channel 66 can gravitate through the openings or ports 67 ontothe applicator 64.

In view of the fact that the shaft 49 has a collar 51 with a set screw52, the rod 53 can be adjusted vertically therein and by means of thecollar 54 and set screw 55 the tube 56 can be adjusted horizontally withadditional adjustment provided by the rod 59 within the tube 56.

In order that the applicator 64 may be disposed at a slight angle withits forward portion slightly above its trailing portion during movementin one direction, the rod '49 is provided on its remote end (FIGS. 3 and7) with a cam 75 attached thereto by a screw or other fastener 76. Thecam 75 has spaced arms 77 supporting a roller 78 in engagement with atrack 79 having openings 79' in each of which is a leaf opening 79". Theopenings 79' are located adjacent opposite ends of the track 79 and atthe extremities of the spiral grooves 37 for assisting in reversing theangle of the cams 75. The track 79 is mounted by means of L-shapedbrackets 80, one at each end, attached to the upper ends of the uprightchannel members 12.

The cam 75 (FIGS. and 8) has a depending projection 81 wherebywhen thefitting 40 reaches the end of its travel in one direction thisprojection 81 will engage a spring loaded stop 82 supported by a boss orsleeve 84 extending through the bracket and urged toward extremeposition by a spring 83. Across the end of the cam 75 is a bar 85 havingopenings 86 in its outer ends in which springs 87 are engaged, suchsprings having their 0pposite ends engaged in openings 88 in ahorizontal bar 89 secured by fasteners 90 to a bracket 91 integral withthe fitting 40.

In order to prevent the shaft 49 carrying the massager from beingabruptly moved from one angular position to another, a spring loadedfriction brake 49' is provided threadedly attached to the shaft 49 androtatably mounted in a slot 48' in the fitting 48. In view of the factthat the friction brake is carried by the shaft 49 and bears against theexterior of the sleeve 48 a gradual transition is accomplished.

In FIGS. 12 and 13 there is disclosed a modified mount ing of themassager 68 from the shaft 49, whereby a patient may more easily make adesired adjustment. On the end of the shaft, which projects through theslot 50 in the front of the cabinet, is fixed at right angles a hollowT-fitting 92 having a slot 93 lengthwise thereof with spaced flanges 94,one at each side thereof, between which flanges a pinion 95 is locatedfixed on a crank shaft 96 having a handle 96' by which such pinion maybe rotated. The pinion 95 engages a rack 97 of a shaft 98 slidable inthe T-fitting 92, thus allowing endwise adjustment of the shaft 98 whichcomes a collar 99 at right angles to the axis of such shaft and a setscrew 1043. Within the collar 99 is adjustably mounted the shaft 56previously described. In order to compensate for looseness of the shaft93 in the T-fitting 92 there is interposed a spring located key 1111(FIG. 13), in a key way 102 in shaft 98.

Instead of the massager 60 of the preceding figures a modified type ofmassager such as that of FIGS. 18 to 22 for massaging the legs may beemployed and supported by the shaft 56. In these figures amassager 193is provided mounted in a box or shaft 164. The massager 103 is composedof a pair of trough members 195 arranged in substantiallyparallelrelation and secured by walls 166 to the bar in shaft 104-. The troughmembers 105 are curved to conform to the curvature of the legs of theperson to be massaged and with their outer side edges provided withreversely curved portions 105. A soft lining 137 is employed to serve asa cushion and to absorb and retain lubricant or other skin treatingpreparation. The cushion lining may be held in place in desired mannerfor example, by clips 103 and with or without adhesive 169.

In order to provide skin lubricant a tank is mounted on the shaft 104 bya T-fitting 111 and a post 112 which extends upwardly through the centerof the tank and has its upper end provided with a bar to receive valvemechanism as previously described. The tank 110 is similar in structureand function to the tank 61 including a knurled control knob 74'. Thetank has a trough portion 67 with lateral arched tubes 113 which supplythe skin lubricant to the absorbent cushioning material 107.

In order to allow the massager to rock with the legs of the patient theshaft or rod 104 may be provided with a groove across the top of theshaft, in which groove the set screw 58 may move from one end of thegroove to the other.

In order to support a patient a bed 114 is provided having side rails115 and an adjustable linkage 116 forming a connector is provided whichserves to connect the rails 115 with the leg 12 of the massager. In thismanner the massager and bed can be kept in parallel relation when inuse.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a simple, practical andrelatively inexpensive device is proposed by which massaging may bemechanically administered with minimum effort and suppression and withmaximum satisfaction.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scopethereof, therefore the invention is not limited by that which isdescribed in the specification and illustrated in the drawings, but onlyas indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for administering therapeutic treatment comprising asupport for a patient, a housing, an adjustable connection between saidsupport and said housing, a shaft in said housing rotatably mounted ingenerally parallel operative relation to said support and havingoppositely disposed spirals, a fitting mounted on said shaft and havingcomplementary portions cooperating with said spirals whereby when saidshaft is rotated said fitting will be caused to travel back and forthalong said spirals, an arm carried by said fitting, a roller attached tosaid arm, a track. fixed relative to said housing and located in aposition to be engaged by said roller as said fitting reaches the end ofits travel in one direction and causing said arm to rotate a slightamount, a yieldable member near each of the ends of said spirals mountedin postion to be engaged by said fitting when it reaches its limit oftravel in each direction prior to its travel in a reverse direction, anapplicator supported by said arm exteriorly of said housing, and acontainer connected to said applicator for supplying lubricant thereto.

2. Apparatus for administering therapeutic treatment comprising asupport for a patient, a housing, a shaft in said housing rotatablymounted in generally parallel operative relation to said support andhaving oppositely disposed spirals, a fitting mounted on said shaft andhaving complementary portions cooperating with said spirals whereby whensaid shaft is rotated said fitting will be caused to travel back andforth along said spirals, an arm carried by said fitting, a rollerattached to said arm, a track fixed relative to said housing and locatedin a position to be engaged by said roller as said fitting reaches theend of its travel in one direction and causing said arm to rotate aslight amount, a yieldable member near each of the ends of said spiralsmounted in position to be engaged by said fitting when it reaches itslimit of travel in each direction prior to its travel in a reversedirection, an applicator supported by said arm exteriorly of saidhousing, and a container connected to said applicator for supplyinglubricant thereto.

3. A device for giving therapeutic treatment comprising a support, amassager including an applicator having a work surface and a containeroperatively associated therewith for supplying a skin lubricant to theapplicator, a cabinet connected to said support, a shaft located in saidcabinet having spirals, a fitting cooperatively associated with saidspirals in a manner to move along said shaft when the latter is rotated,an arm carried by said fitting and extending from said cabinet providinga support for said applicator, means for adjusting the angle of saidapplicator, at the end of travel in each direction and prior to movementin a reverse direction, and means for rotating said shaft.

4. A massage device comprising a housing, applicator supporting means insaid housing including a member reciprocable between fixed limits andwith an arm projecting from said housing, an applicator adjustablehorizontally and vertically on said arm, a container operativelyassociated with said applicator for supplying a skin lubricant to saidapplicator, and power means for producing reciprocation of saidapplicator and for adjusting the angularity of the same for each stroke.

5. A massage device comprising an applicator, lubricant supplying meansfor said applicator, an arm supporting said applicator and saidlubricant supplying means, a fitting mounting said arm, and meansmounting said fitting and for causing it to reciprocate between limitsand for imparting a slight rotation to said arm to adjust saidapplicator between its travel in Opposite directions.

6. A device for giving therapeutic treatment to the human bodycomprising the combination of a support for the body, a massager forreciprocating movement in contact with the body, mounting meansconnected to said support for the body and mounting said massager, saidmounting means including means for producing movement of said massager,for reversing the direction of such movement, and for changing theangularity of the massager with each reversal of movement.

7. Apparatus for giving physical treatment to portions of the humanbody, comprising the combination of a base, a massager means forsupplying lubricant to said massager, means for adjustably supportingsaid massager on said base for reciprocating motion, and means forproducing movement of said massager and including means for reversingthe direction of such movement and for reversing the angle of themassager with each change of direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,734,937 Born Nov. 5, 1929 2,755,798 Orthwine July 24, 1956 2,869,158Sivells Jan. 20, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 535,771 Germany Oct. 15, 1931

6. A DEVICE FOR GIVING THERAPEUTIC TREATMENT TO THE HUMAN BODYCOMPRISING THE COMBINATION OF A SUPPORT FOR THE BODY, A MASSAGER FORRECIPROCATING MOVEMENT IN CONTACT WITH THE BODY, MOUNTING MEANSCONNECTED TO SAID SUPPORT FOR THE BODY AND MOUNTING SAID MASSAGER, SAIDMOUNTING MEANS INCLUDING MEANS FOR PRODUCING MOVEMENT OF SAID MASSAGER,FOR REVERSING THE DIRECTION OF SUCH MOVEMENT, AND FOR CHANGING THEANGULARLITY OF THE MASSAGER WITH EACH REVERSAL OF MOVEMENT.